Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
#77
Re: Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
I don't think I'll be saying anything new here, but he's my 2p anyway.
England is not a bad place to live, it's just no longer what I want from life. England has a lot of culture and lots of nice places to visit. The biggest problems with this are that you never end up going anywhere because of traffic and the fact that everything's so bl**dy expensive now.
I think that in general, crime has been on the rise in most places in most countries so it's probably not too relevant to talk about that. I could move somewhere quieter with less crime if that's what I wanted.
There's simply not enough space in England / the UK. People are growing increasingly unhappy with the place because the general public are basically getting shafted day after day from every direction.
I know that moving to Canada is not going to solve my issues with the UK completely, but it will give me more of the things that I do want:
- more space
- less traffic when I want to get away from things
- less angry people everywhere
- cleaner streets, people having more respect for their surroundings
etc...
I wouldn't choose to live here, but it's better than many places.
Good luck whatever you do.
England is not a bad place to live, it's just no longer what I want from life. England has a lot of culture and lots of nice places to visit. The biggest problems with this are that you never end up going anywhere because of traffic and the fact that everything's so bl**dy expensive now.
I think that in general, crime has been on the rise in most places in most countries so it's probably not too relevant to talk about that. I could move somewhere quieter with less crime if that's what I wanted.
There's simply not enough space in England / the UK. People are growing increasingly unhappy with the place because the general public are basically getting shafted day after day from every direction.
I know that moving to Canada is not going to solve my issues with the UK completely, but it will give me more of the things that I do want:
- more space
- less traffic when I want to get away from things
- less angry people everywhere
- cleaner streets, people having more respect for their surroundings
etc...
I wouldn't choose to live here, but it's better than many places.
Good luck whatever you do.
#78
Re: Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
I don't think I'll be saying anything new here, but he's my 2p anyway.
England is not a bad place to live, it's just no longer what I want from life. England has a lot of culture and lots of nice places to visit. The biggest problems with this are that you never end up going anywhere because of traffic and the fact that everything's so bl**dy expensive now.
England is not a bad place to live, it's just no longer what I want from life. England has a lot of culture and lots of nice places to visit. The biggest problems with this are that you never end up going anywhere because of traffic and the fact that everything's so bl**dy expensive now.
#79
Re: Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
Drifting a thread, but is it really the case that everything in the UK is so expensive compared to Canada? With the obvious exceptions of property and gas (although the gas price is to an extent offset by more fuel efficient vehicles), are the daily staples of life -food, drink, clothing, energy much more expensive than Canada? I'd say not but then I haven't lived in the Uk for 5 years or more.
I don't expect Canada to be cheaper in every respect, but I do expect I'll be able to buy a home more cheaply in many areas and for that, I'll get something larger than I would in the UK.
#82
Re: Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
I don't think I'll be saying anything new here, but he's my 2p anyway.
England is not a bad place to live, it's just no longer what I want from life. England has a lot of culture and lots of nice places to visit. The biggest problems with this are that you never end up going anywhere because of traffic and the fact that everything's so bl**dy expensive now.
I think that in general, crime has been on the rise in most places in most countries so it's probably not too relevant to talk about that. I could move somewhere quieter with less crime if that's what I wanted.
There's simply not enough space in England / the UK. People are growing increasingly unhappy with the place because the general public are basically getting shafted day after day from every direction.
I know that moving to Canada is not going to solve my issues with the UK completely, but it will give me more of the things that I do want:
- more space
- less traffic when I want to get away from things
- less angry people everywhere
- cleaner streets, people having more respect for their surroundings
etc...
I wouldn't choose to live here, but it's better than many places.
Good luck whatever you do.
England is not a bad place to live, it's just no longer what I want from life. England has a lot of culture and lots of nice places to visit. The biggest problems with this are that you never end up going anywhere because of traffic and the fact that everything's so bl**dy expensive now.
I think that in general, crime has been on the rise in most places in most countries so it's probably not too relevant to talk about that. I could move somewhere quieter with less crime if that's what I wanted.
There's simply not enough space in England / the UK. People are growing increasingly unhappy with the place because the general public are basically getting shafted day after day from every direction.
I know that moving to Canada is not going to solve my issues with the UK completely, but it will give me more of the things that I do want:
- more space
- less traffic when I want to get away from things
- less angry people everywhere
- cleaner streets, people having more respect for their surroundings
etc...
I wouldn't choose to live here, but it's better than many places.
Good luck whatever you do.
#83
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 77
Re: Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
With respect, this will very much depend on the area you are in. Where I was, we had no crime, drugs or vandalism, but I lived in a Southern rural village rather than a large city like Manchester. Also, no constant dull days - a friend who recently visited the UK had only one day of rain throughout nearly four weeks, and guess what, he was in Manchester at the time!!
So again, it comes down to where you are in the UK (and to some extent, the amount of money you have to spend on housing etc) as to your experience of it. I don't recognise the UK from what you've said, but lived in a very different area to you.
So again, it comes down to where you are in the UK (and to some extent, the amount of money you have to spend on housing etc) as to your experience of it. I don't recognise the UK from what you've said, but lived in a very different area to you.
I was answering in response to the original thread. I was putting myself in her position where she obviously does not have half a million pounds to throw at a 2 bed cottage in a 'rural village setting' therefore is more likely to be living in an area that will be subjected to 'crime, drugs, vandalism etc...'
Yes there are extrememely beautiful places in the UK, some of which I miss tremendously (Settle being one of them), but, I am also speaking from experience. My family moved to Canada more than 30 years ago, my sister missed Scotland so much she moved back 10 years ago, but her Scotland was what she remembered from late 60's early 70's and when she went back, that was not what she saw. She lasted a year and a half before she moved back to Canada. I did the same, I moved back and resigned myself to living in the UK due to work, family etc... but I am so glad I am back in Nova Scotia. I have watched my beloved country (UK) degenerate into something that is not pretty. And it makes me sad.
Being in Canada is not for everyone, but neither is being in the UK. Surely moving to another country is to make life better. I don't think this person would be doing that in this case.
As to the weather, mostly sunshine is a rarity. Yes someone may go back and strike it lucky, but try living there for a few years and then tell me how many 4 week stretches do you get without rain.
#84
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
I also lived in a village in the UK, but there was still a population of 'underclass' that is no longer a minority. I have to ask how long ago you lived in this rural area? I moved here just over a year ago, and due to work had lived in numerous places in the UK. Settle in North Yorkshire to name one.
I was answering in response to the original thread. I was putting myself in her position where she obviously does not have half a million pounds to throw at a 2 bed cottage in a 'rural village setting' therefore is more likely to be living in an area that will be subjected to 'crime, drugs, vandalism etc...'
Yes there are extrememely beautiful places in the UK, some of which I miss tremendously (Settle being one of them), but, I am also speaking from experience. My family moved to Canada more than 30 years ago, my sister missed Scotland so much she moved back 10 years ago, but her Scotland was what she remembered from late 60's early 70's and when she went back, that was not what she saw. She lasted a year and a half before she moved back to Canada. I did the same, I moved back and resigned myself to living in the UK due to work, family etc... but I am so glad I am back in Nova Scotia. I have watched my beloved country (UK) degenerate into something that is not pretty. And it makes me sad.
Being in Canada is not for everyone, but neither is being in the UK. Surely moving to another country is to make life better. I don't think this person would be doing that in this case.
As to the weather, mostly sunshine is a rarity. Yes someone may go back and strike it lucky, but try living there for a few years and then tell me how many 4 week stretches do you get without rain.
I was answering in response to the original thread. I was putting myself in her position where she obviously does not have half a million pounds to throw at a 2 bed cottage in a 'rural village setting' therefore is more likely to be living in an area that will be subjected to 'crime, drugs, vandalism etc...'
Yes there are extrememely beautiful places in the UK, some of which I miss tremendously (Settle being one of them), but, I am also speaking from experience. My family moved to Canada more than 30 years ago, my sister missed Scotland so much she moved back 10 years ago, but her Scotland was what she remembered from late 60's early 70's and when she went back, that was not what she saw. She lasted a year and a half before she moved back to Canada. I did the same, I moved back and resigned myself to living in the UK due to work, family etc... but I am so glad I am back in Nova Scotia. I have watched my beloved country (UK) degenerate into something that is not pretty. And it makes me sad.
Being in Canada is not for everyone, but neither is being in the UK. Surely moving to another country is to make life better. I don't think this person would be doing that in this case.
As to the weather, mostly sunshine is a rarity. Yes someone may go back and strike it lucky, but try living there for a few years and then tell me how many 4 week stretches do you get without rain.
#87
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 59
Re: Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
To the OP:
Don't be taken in by people whinging about Britain, by asking on an expat forum you are biasing the results because respondees will have left, or be thinking about leaving.
I left Britain in December for the 2nd time, and while I love living in Vancouver, London is still my favourite place on earth. Yeah there's crime, drugs, and whatnot but most people experience them vicariously through the media anyway. In fact, the absolute worst thing about Britain IS the press, and the hold it has over politics, public discourse and society. I lived in Toxteth, Liverpool for 3 years and nothing happened to me at all. A year in East Glasgow: nip, nada, nowt.
I've lived in Sweden, and now Canada and can tell you that 90% of life in most countries around the world is the same; get kids to school, go to work, nip to the shops, go out for dinner etc. and so on. Moving abroad is as easy as getting a visa, getting on a plane, and looking for a job and don't let whiners on here bemoaning exchange rates and house prices on here tell you different.
BUT,
I suspect this is not about whether you will cope in Britain, because you will easily, but rather about looking for reasons to justify a decision i suspect you might already have made, in your heart of hearts.
The question is not whether Britain is right for you, but whether this man who by co-incidence is British, is right for you.
I think you already know the answer.
Good Luck.
Don't be taken in by people whinging about Britain, by asking on an expat forum you are biasing the results because respondees will have left, or be thinking about leaving.
I left Britain in December for the 2nd time, and while I love living in Vancouver, London is still my favourite place on earth. Yeah there's crime, drugs, and whatnot but most people experience them vicariously through the media anyway. In fact, the absolute worst thing about Britain IS the press, and the hold it has over politics, public discourse and society. I lived in Toxteth, Liverpool for 3 years and nothing happened to me at all. A year in East Glasgow: nip, nada, nowt.
I've lived in Sweden, and now Canada and can tell you that 90% of life in most countries around the world is the same; get kids to school, go to work, nip to the shops, go out for dinner etc. and so on. Moving abroad is as easy as getting a visa, getting on a plane, and looking for a job and don't let whiners on here bemoaning exchange rates and house prices on here tell you different.
BUT,
I suspect this is not about whether you will cope in Britain, because you will easily, but rather about looking for reasons to justify a decision i suspect you might already have made, in your heart of hearts.
The question is not whether Britain is right for you, but whether this man who by co-incidence is British, is right for you.
I think you already know the answer.
Good Luck.
#88
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
I think weather tends to be something people attach too much importance on with respect to quality of life. It's like everything else there needs to be balance.
#89
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 77
Re: Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
I guess you are not allowed to voice your opinion on this forum without idiots having to react with something nasty.
The place I was born and lived in for most of my life in Scotland was beautiful, but there was crime. I didn't live with my eyes and ears shut. I know there is also crime in Canada, but it is not blatantly in your face every time you are out in public, in Nova Scotia anyway.
I think all the people on here that say that Canada is garbage and that the UK is so amazing should go back there then.
British abroad behaving like the news portrays them....
If the girl who is thinking of moving to the UK just has to look at the comments on this website and the arguements and upset that it causes by people who just write verbal diarrhoea, then she should seriously think again about going there. I rest my case about the people of Britain, hence why I left.
#90
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 11,272
Re: Advice for a Canadian moving to England?
I don't think you read what I wrote. I said I lived in numerous places throughout the UK. I certainly did not polarize anything, was there something specific? Or do you live (lived) in a place without crime, vandalism, drugs, then you must be living in a bubble.
I guess you are not allowed to voice your opinion on this forum without idiots having to react with something nasty.
The place I was born and lived in for most of my life in Scotland was beautiful, but there was crime. I didn't live with my eyes and ears shut. I know there is also crime in Canada, but it is not blatantly in your face every time you are out in public, in Nova Scotia anyway.
I think all the people on here that say that Canada is garbage and that the UK is so amazing should go back there then.
British abroad behaving like the news portrays them....
If the girl who is thinking of moving to the UK just has to look at the comments on this website and the arguements and upset that it causes by people who just write verbal diarrhoea, then she should seriously think again about going there. I rest my case about the people of Britain, hence why I left.
I guess you are not allowed to voice your opinion on this forum without idiots having to react with something nasty.
The place I was born and lived in for most of my life in Scotland was beautiful, but there was crime. I didn't live with my eyes and ears shut. I know there is also crime in Canada, but it is not blatantly in your face every time you are out in public, in Nova Scotia anyway.
I think all the people on here that say that Canada is garbage and that the UK is so amazing should go back there then.
British abroad behaving like the news portrays them....
If the girl who is thinking of moving to the UK just has to look at the comments on this website and the arguements and upset that it causes by people who just write verbal diarrhoea, then she should seriously think again about going there. I rest my case about the people of Britain, hence why I left.